Confessions in the rain
by Ravenheart
Summary: FINALLY!!! It's done!!! Chapter 3 is up and ready for reading. Please R&R it's one of the only reasons I'm still writing.
1. When the rightious are humbled

Evangelion characters and settings belong exclusively to Gainax Inc.   
  
The date is August 14th, 2018. Yes, three years have passed since SEELE attempted to destroy   
it's child organization, NERV and implement the Human Instrumentality Project, however, Sohryu   
Asuka Langley and Shinji Ikari were able do destroy all nine of the Type-5 Evangelions sent by   
SEELE to initiate 'Third Impact'.   
  
----Excerpt from an official NERV personnel report----  
  
Date: June 28, 2015  
Subject: Status of NERV command staff  
To: Acting Comm. Fuyutsuki  
---Classified: Level Alpha---  
  
Comm. Gendo Ikari:Found in Terminal Dogma with Rei Ayanami and Dr. Ritsuko Akagi.  
Subsequently arrested for the attempted murder of Dr. Akagi and taken directly to a detention cell several levels up in the NERV complex.   
  
Sub Comm. Kouzo Fuyutsuki:Currently overseeing repair efforts within NERV complex.  
Will be promoted to Commander pending Comm. Ikari's removal.  
  
Dr. Ritsuko Akagi: Recouperating from gunshot wound in main medical ward. Dr. Akagi's wounds not severe due to small caliber hand gun.   
Expected to return to duty pending her release from hospital.  
  
Maj. Misato Katsuragi: Found near Emergency Elevator #7 with severe gunshot wounds in her abdomen. Currently recouperating in the ICU of the main surgical ward. Expected to make full recovery within 6-8 months.  
Will be promoted to Sub-Commander pending removal of Commander Ikari  
  
Lt. Maya Ibuki: Acting head of Project-E in Dr. Akagi's absence.  
  
Lt's Aoba Shigeru and Makoto Hyuuga: Both occupying previous posts.  
  
---End of File---  
  
After leaving the hospital, both Misato and Ritsuko returned to thier respective positions within   
NERV for the cleanup and repair efforts. Misato is still working for NERV as the new Sub-  
Commander under Commander Fuyutsuki. Ritsuko, however, for personal reasons she did not   
reveal has resigned as head of Project-E. She is now the head of a research group attempting to   
further computer technology and create an 8th-generation super-computer. With Dr. Akagi's   
resignation, Maya Ibuki has been promoted and named as the new head of Project-E. Aoba Shigeru   
and Makoto Hyuuga both remained with NERV and are both still occupying their previous positions.  
  
---Katsuragi Residence - 6:45 AM---  
Shinji had just begun cooking breakfast in the small kitchen of Misato's apartment when Asuka   
came out of her room and headed directly to the bath. He then heard the shower start. Now   
reminded of her presence in the apartment, he began to think of how things have changed since the   
failed Third Impact.  
  
'Even with what's happened, she doesn't seem to be any different, she still calls me 'Baka' or   
'Dummkopf' at least ten times each day, and she still insists on making me do all HER chores...'  
  
Just as he's thinking this he realizes that the sausage he's making is beginning to burn.   
  
A few minutes later, Asuka comes into the kitchen already dressed in her school uniform expecting   
her breakfast. With a ravenous look on her young features, Asuka lets loose her first demand of the   
day...  
  
"Hey, dummkopf, where's my breakfast?"  
  
"Here, Asuka..."   
  
As he puts the plate down in front of her, she takes a wiff of the food. Fiding it's aroma very   
pleasing, she begins by eating the sausage first...As the overly well done link hits her tounge she   
face-faults. Reflexively, she begins to cough and gag as the taste of burnt fat and oil assails her   
sense of taste.  
  
"BAKA! This sausage is burnt to a crisp!!!"  
  
Looking down slighly, shinji replies "I'm sorry..."  
  
Now genuinely irked, Asuka hit him over the head just hard enough to snap him out of his self   
depreciation and leveled one of her best death glares at him, "Will you stop saying that all the time,   
it really pisses me off when you say 'I'm sorry' even when you're not the one to blame!"  
  
"I'm..." this time catching himself in mid-sentance, he changes his choice of words "Okay Asuka..."  
  
Smiling slightly at this small triumph in getting shinji to become more self asertive, she sits back   
down and continues to eat her breakfast.  
  
'I really hope he understands what I'm trying to do for him. It's not like I really mean it when I call   
him names, I just want to see that side of him that doesn't take anything from anybody, Especially   
when we were still fighting the Angels. The side of him that makes me want to...NO! STOP RIGHT   
THERE! I WON'T think of him that way. I don't want kids, I don't want to get involved with ANY boys   
and ABSOLUTELY not HIM.'  
  
Over the past three years, living with Shinji so much has actually begun to change Asuka a little bit.   
She doesn't go on as many rants and she accepts situations which are not completely to her liking   
a little more readily. Also learning that her mother has actually been right there with her inside EVA-  
02 helped her a lot in learning to open up to others. And, since she lives with him and she really   
does trust him under all those masks she still wears, she descided to at least improve their   
relationship to the point where they could maybe like being around each other, as opposed to just   
tolerating each other.  
  
A few minutes later, Misato comes into the kitchen and grabs a beer from her side of the fridge, and   
after downing half the can at once, she lets out one of her trademark whoops to greet the day and   
her teenage charges. "So, Shinji, what's for breakfast?"  
  
"Oh, just the usual, sausage, eggs, and toast..."  
  
"Yeah, " Asuka adds with a grin "watch out for that sausage though, it looks like it took an   
extended stay in hell."  
  
"HEY... It's not like I tried to burn it..."  
  
Hiding behind her can of Yabisu, Misato listens as the two teens argue for the next 15 minutes.  
  
"Oh, aren't you two going to be late for shool?"  
  
Asuka looks at her wristwatch and gasps...It's 8:45. Dragging Shinji with her, She grabs both their   
bags and pulls Shinji with her as she bolts through the door...  
  
Sighing, "I will never understand those two..."  
  
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Panting "We've only got 15 minutes before classes start... We're going to be sooo late..."  
  
"Well, at this pace, I think we should actually have a couple of minutes to spare, Asuka..."  
  
Rolling her eyes "Oh, who asked you? If we think like that, we WILL be late dummkopf!"  
  
Upon arriving at the classroom, they find that they have actually made it to class before the teacher.   
Looking around, they find Touji, Kensuke, and Hikari are already there. And of course, as is now the   
norm, Hikari is sitting next to Touji waiting for the teacher to arrive before she assumes her duties   
as class rep today. Asuka still can't figure out what had compelled Hikari to announce to the class   
that she and Touji were now a couple. At least she had waited until she told him and started dating   
him before they announced it. Touji, however was talking to Kensuke about some aspect of the   
JSSDF or NERV, It was hard to tell from the doorway. Well, maybe he wasn't really talking to him   
about it, but rather just nodding and gunting affirmatively as Kensuke went on and on about his   
favorite thing in the world besides Eva...Millitary hardware.  
  
Noticing their arrival, Touji greeted them in his usual manner when they were this late "Oh, look, the   
newlyweds finally decided to show up..."  
  
Both blushing beet red at the thought of that, they responded to the whoops and catcalls of the   
class with the usual denial "IT'S NOT LIKE THAT!!!"  
  
Just then, the teacher comes to the door, and Hikari assumes her duties as class rep as she had   
so many times before... "STAND...BOW...BE SEATED" and the class begins...  
  
During the teacher's usual lecture about the causes of Second Impact and now Third Impact, the   
message waiting dialog box appeared on Shinji's computer screen. Clicking on the confirmation   
button, the message appears:   
'Hey, dummkopf, you're not doing anything tomorrow are you? Y/N'  
  
Shinji didn't even have to think to know who this was from. so he answered "No, why?"  
  
'Because I'm going shopping and Misato can't go. And I HATE going alone.'  
  
'What about Hikari?'  
  
'What do you think, baka? She's going to be busy with Touji.'  
  
Sighing to himself, he figures he really doesn't have anything better to do, so he reluctantly agrees.  
  
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Lunchtime.  
  
"WHAAAAAT?!? What do you mean you didn't make lunches for us?!?"  
  
"Well, it's not my fault you decided to argue with me all morning!"  
  
Slightly startled at his outburst but pleased all the same, she thinks to herself 'There it is! The side   
of him I want to see.'   
  
"Okay, baka, I'll let you have this round."  
  
This catches the attention of everyone since they were all expecting another loud, high-pitched   
verbal battle between 'The Newlyweds'  
  
"W...what did you say Asuka...?"  
  
Rolling her eyes "I SAID you win this time, I don't feel like arguing right now. Besides, you shold   
feel honored having won an argument with me." Thinking to herself 'Damn...It's gone, I reward him   
for not slinking back from a confrontation, and what actually makes him become that timid little   
boy? Me NOT being confrontational!'  
  
"Well, I guess now you'll want ME to go buy YOUR lunch Asuka..."  
  
Now cheerfully, "Yup...You're on the ball today, Shinji. Here's my NERV debitcard, just put it on   
there"  
  
Taking the card and turning towards the door, "Okay, I'll be right back..."  
  
"Uh, huh..."  
  
"Asuka, what was that about?"  
  
Turning to face the owner of the voice from behind her "Huh, what, Hikari?"  
  
"You just let it go, you always used to feel like arguing."  
  
"Hmmm, well, I just want him to stop being so timid. And I thought that it would help if he actually   
won an argument with me..."  
  
Smirking "Asuka, are you sure you aren't starting to 'like' him?"  
  
Had she been drinking anything just then, she would have just sprayed it all over her desk at that   
comment. "What are you talking about Hikari? I don't like him, I just have to live with him, that's   
all..."  
  
Smirking even more, Hikari decides to let her be "Okay, Asuka, whatever you say."  
  
"And just what is that supposed to mean?"  
  
"Nothing, nothing."  
  
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
'Why am I being so nice to him?'  
  
With these thoughts in her mind, she laid down on the bed and waited for the oblivion of sleep to   
overtake her. Deciding that it felt good being with him, she shrugged off the question and began to   
think of what she'd do tomorrow 'Maybe I'll treat him to some ice-cream or something...' slowly, her   
eyes closed, and she fell asleep.  
  
Just across the hall in his own room, Shinji was also thinking of tomorrow's activity and what Asuka   
had in mind.  
  
'What is she trying to do? Is she trying to get closer to me? Or is this all some kind of cruel joke   
she's playing on me? Well, she has changed a little since we defeated the angels, maybe she's   
just trying to be friendly...'   
  
Shrugging, Shinji turns over onto his side and tries to go to sleep.  
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
---The next morning---  
  
Shinji was finishing up his bath and starting to get dressed when the accordion-style door to the   
bath opened revealing Asuka in her favorite red towel carrying her own set of toiletries. Instantly,   
both teen's faces flush as red as Asuka's towel, and surprisingly SHINJI is the first to speak as he   
unconsiously grasps at the towel wrapped around his waist to make sure it's still there...  
  
"DON'T YOU KNOW HOW TO KNOCK?!?!?"   
  
Startled, she almost starts a tirade of german insults and and screams about Shinji's perverse   
nature. But somehow, she manages to curb her tounge and decides on something much less   
inflammatory.  
  
"Baka, do you really think that I would have thrown the door wide open if I had known you were in   
here?!"  
  
"ABSOLUTELY! Just to try and get some sort of situation where you could make fun of or insult   
me!" Shinji shouts as he tries to discretely put on his boxers without removing the towel from his   
waist.  
  
"Hmmpfff... Just let me know when you're through getting your clothes on so I can take my   
shower."  
  
In a mock huff, Asuka turns and shuts the door as she does so.   
  
Breathing a sigh of relief, Shinji continues to get dressed, this time without having to worry about   
dropping his towel.  
  
Ten minutes later, Shinji emerges from the bath fully dressed, and knocks on Asuka's door to let   
her know he's done.   
  
Again, the door slides open and Asuka is there in her towel again. She strides briskly past him   
towards the bath without even a word. Until she reaches the bath that is...  
  
"Don't you even think of peeking at me while I'm taking my shower. Just because I walked in on you   
doesn't mean that you can do the same to me to get even!"  
  
With that, she slams the door shut behind her and starts the shower.   
  
Under his breath, "Like I would want to see you naked..."  
  
"I HEARD THAT!!!"  
  
Figuring a strategic retreat the best thing at the moment he descides to not respond to that in any   
way and went to make breakfast.  
  
Later, Asuka emerges from the shower wearing a loose pair of burgundy slacks, a red blouse and a   
light gray jacket. She can see him cooking breakfast right in front of her in the kitchen, as she   
looks at him she rembembers the decision she had made the night before, so instead of demanding   
her breakfast the way she usually did, she walks up behind him and and asks in that ultra-kawaii   
voice only Asuka is really capable of:  
  
"What's for breakfast, baka?"  
  
Slightly startled at her sudden proximity, Shunji almost yelps in surprise, but he manages instead   
"Huh, oh, Asuka... N-Nothing special, just some rice balls and miso soup."  
  
"Oh, yum... You making any sausage with that? Oh, wait... nevermind... you might burn it again."  
  
"Hey, are you still going on about that?"  
  
"Ha, Ha... Relax, Shinji, I was only kidding..."  
  
After eating thier breakfast, Shinji and Asuka leave the apartment for the local mall.  
  
"So, Asuka, what were you planning on buying?"  
  
"Oh, nothing much, just some more clothes."  
  
"More clothes? Your closet is already overflowing whith the clothes you have now..."  
  
"True, but I never said the clothes were for me..."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Are you dense? We're going to the mall to buy YOU some new threads!"  
  
"ME?!? What's wong with the clothes I have now?"  
  
"Nothing, if you just want to look the same every day for the rest of your life... I'm getting tired of   
seeing you in the same getup every day."  
  
"Oh..."  
  
"Relax, you have the best fashion judge in alll of Tokyo-3 helping you find a new look."  
  
"Oh? Who? Where?"  
  
"ME, BAKA SHINJI!!!"  
  
At the mall, Shinji and Asuka visit all kinds of clothing stores and men's apparel outlets trying to   
find Shinji a new look. Most of the stores they went to are ones that sell the more upbeat, popular   
kinds of clothing that teens normally wear away from school. However, Asuka drags Shinji into   
another men's apparel store, and spots a navy blue jacket that she thinks would look absolutely   
divine on him.   
  
"Hey Shinji, look at this!"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Here, try this on..."  
  
"Okay..."  
  
Shinji slips into the jacket and buttons up the top button and then lets his arms fall to his sides   
awaiting Asuka's appraisal.   
  
"Oh, wow... That looks great on you Shinji." Turning to the nearby clerk, "We'll take it."  
  
Handing her NERV card to the clerk, she waits for Shinji to take the jacket off and gives it to the   
clerk as well.   
  
After buying the jacket, Asuka decides that they've done enough shopping for one day and they   
leave the mall, with Shinji carrying all but two of the bags.   
  
"How can you call yourself a gentleman when you're making me carry your bags?"  
  
"How can you ask that Asuka? You're the one who bought all this stuff." answers Shinji through his   
teeth since he's holding the handles of a bag in them as well.  
  
"Well, it IS all your stuff now, I mean, I did buy it for you."  
  
"Yeah, yeah..."  
  
Arriving at Misato's appartment, Shinji just dumps all the bags in his room near the closet. After the   
day he just had, he doesn't feel like sorting all that stuff out now. Looking at his clock, he sees that   
it's only 5:00 in the evening.  
  
'I really should do something to thank her for all this... Even though I have no idea why she's going   
through all this trouble for me...'  
  
"Hey, Asuka..."  
  
"Yeah, what is it Shinji? Don't tell me you need someone to help you organize all that stuff now, do   
you?"  
  
"No, I was juast wondering if you would like to go grab a bite to eat, that's all..."  
  
"But we just got back..."  
  
"I know, but I'm hungry and I don't feel like cooking, and I doubt you do..."  
  
"Yeah, I'm hungry too..."  
  
"Well, I know a good place to get some ramen..."  
  
"Mmmmm... Ramen, well at least I can get some good meats in it... Okay, you talked me into it."  
  
"Okay, my treat."  
  
"Shinji?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Your treat?"  
  
"Yeah, I wanted to thank you for all this stuff you got me, that's all."  
  
"Oh, okay."  
  
[Author's Note: Seriously, when would Asuka pass up a free meal?]  
  
"Hey, I just thought of something, I know a great place to watch the sunset if you want to go..."  
  
"Hmmm... well, I guess no harm can come of it, okay."  
  
After going to the ramen stand and having an unusually quiet meal, Asuka follows Shinji up into the   
hills north of Tokyo-3.  
  
"Hey, baka, how far is this place, anyway? The sun is going to set any minute now..."  
  
"We're almost there Asuka..."  
  
A few minutes later, they crest a hill overlooking a pristene lake with the sun casting it's now orange   
light on it's surface.  
  
"Oh, Shinji, it's beautiful!!"  
  
"Heh, yeah, I found it a couple of weeks after I arrived here."  
  
Shinji shows Asuka over to a grassy clearing where they both sit down to watch the sun set over   
the hills surrounding the lake.   
  
"After the second angel battle, I ran away and just walked around these hills for a while, It took   
Section 2 a week to find me."  
  
"I know, I read your psych reports before I came here."  
  
"Ever since, whenever I've felt that my world was being ripped apart, I would come here and I would   
feel better."  
  
Pause.  
  
"Did you feel that way when we came up here?"  
  
"What, Asuka?"  
  
"Is that why you came here today?"  
  
"Oh... Um, I..."  
  
Awkward pause, mostly for Shinji. In the background, the sun continues to set, now halfway under   
the tops of the mountains on the other side of Tokyo 3. Just as the sun is about to fade from sight,   
a faint rumble of thunder can be heard coming from the northeast.  
  
"Uh oh, there's a storm coming..."  
  
"Oh, great, what do you expect to do now, baka, try to out-run the storm back to misato's   
apartment?"  
  
"No, there's a shelter down near the lake, we should be able to make it there before the storm   
hits..."  
  
"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go..."  
  
Moving quickly down the hill towards the lake, Asuka and Shinji manage to make it to the shelter,   
but not before the storm.  
  
"Oh great, dummkopf... Now I'm soaked."  
  
Trying his hardest not to look at her for obvious reasons "I'm sorry Asuka. If I'd known there would   
be a storm, I would've brought an umbrella."  
  
"It's cold..."  
  
"Yeah, I'll see if I can start a fire in the cooking area..."  
  
Thankfully, the last people to use this shelter had some firewood left over from their cookout, so   
Shinji had some dry wood to work with in building a fire.  
  
"What's wrong now baka? Can't get something as simple as a fire going?"  
  
"Well, I would've had it going a little while ago, but I can't find my lighter..."  
  
"You have a lighter?"  
  
"Well, yeah, ever since Kensuke started inviting me on camping trips out here..."  
  
"Oh..."  
  
"Ah, here it is..."  
  
With that Shinji lights the kindling he had gathered under the timber to get the fire going, within a   
few minutes, they had a warm, bright fire going. Then Shinji starts to remove his shoes and socks.  
  
"Hey, w-what dou you think you're doing?"  
  
"I'm going to try to dry out my shoes and socks... I don't want to be walking home in soggy   
footwear, do you?"  
  
Reluctantly, Asuka agrees and begins to do the same.   
  
Slowly, Asuka sits down on a picnic bench near the fire, while Shinji leans on the lip of the   
barbecue. Shinji can't help but look at Asuka and see her shivering in her damp outfit. Asuka is   
currently looking out of the shelter into the thunderstorm which has just picked up in intensity.   
  
'Darn, I can't believe that that baka got us into this... But it really isn't his fault, there was no way he   
could've known that there was a storm coming.'  
  
"Shinji...I'm..."  
  
"Hmmm?"  
  
"I'm sorry..."  
  
Shocked at her sudden apology, Shinji can't understand what made her feel like apologizing.   
Suddenly a flash of lightning followed closely with a crash of thunder snaps him back to reality.   
Unable to reach any conclusion for why Asuka would do such a thing, he decides to just ask her.   
  
"For what?"  
  
"For blaming all this on you. I know it wasn't your fault..."  
  
"Oh, it's okay, forget it..."  
  
"Thank you. You never answered my question..."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
Slightly annoyed that she has to repeat herself, Asuka repeats her question from earlier: "Why did   
you come up here today?"  
  
"Oh, that. Well, I guess I was just feeling a little confused by how you've been acting recently."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Um, like in school yesterday when you just dropped the argument we were having, and when you   
offered to buy me all that clothing today..."  
  
"So what you're saying is that my being just a little nice makes you edgy?"  
  
"Well, yes... I mean no! Umm..."  
  
"Well, it's obvious that you don't know..."  
  
A few minutes pass between them without a word until Asuka gets up from where she's sitting and   
leans up against Shinji and rests her head on his shoulder. Instantly Shinji stiffens and has no idea   
what to do or say. Feeling him tense up, Asuka decides to ask him what's bothering him.  
  
"Something wrong Shinji?"  
  
"Umm... No, just... Why are you leaning against me?"  
  
Smirking slightly, but answering nonchalantly "To keep warm, why else?"  
  
Gulping hard, Shinji can't manage anything more than a quiet "Oh."  
  
Shinji notices the faint smell of Asuka's shampoo in her hair as she tries to get a little closer to him   
to escape the cold.   
  
"Um, let's sit down, okay Asuka?"  
  
"Uh huh..."  
  
Shinji takes her over to the bench she had just gotten up from and sits down. Siezing the   
opportunity, Asuka sits down right next to him and rests her head on his shoulder again.   
This time, Shinji isn't as uncomfortable, so he wraps one arm around her shoulders to help keep her   
close and warm.  
  
'I never knew that being this close to him could feel so good...' Asuka thinks to herself 'I should have   
done this with him sooner.'  
  
"I'm sorry Shinji..."  
  
"What, I said you could forget it..."  
  
"No, not that... About everything else, all those mean things I did to you when we were still both   
fighting the angels."  
  
"Oh, that..."  
  
"I'm sorry..."  
  
Smiling slightly "Feeling repentful tonight?"  
  
"Kinda, I guess..."  
  
Without saying anything, Shinji puts his fingers under Asuka's chin and pulls her face up so he can   
see her eyes.   
  
'Wow. She's beautiful...'  
  
"Shinji?"  
  
Suddenly, Shinji sees somthing he's only seen hints of in her eyes before. Sadness. Pure,   
unrestrained sadness. Leaning a little closer to her, he feels her draw back from him a little, using   
the arm he put around her shoulders, he holds her close, and kisses her tenderly on the lips.   
Slowly, Asuka's mind wraps itself around the fact that this is really happening and she wraps her   
arms around him. Then he pulls away from her slightly and begins to speak.  
  
"Understand?"  
  
Asuka just nods slightly  
  
"Good, then you know that I don't want to hear you say you're sorry about any of that stuff ever   
again, alright?"  
  
Again, Asuka nods silently.  
  
"Good. Because that's my job, remember?"  
  
With a soft elbow to his ribs, she stops his slight laughter at her expense muttering "Baka" under   
her breath.  
  
The two of them just sit there quietly in each other's arms keeping warm until Asuka speaks.  
  
"Thank you Shinji."  
  
"For what?"  
  
"For putting up with me for so long. I mean, ever since I came here, I tried to push everyone away.   
Even you."  
  
Shinji just sat there holding Asuka as she tried to find the words to express what she was feeling   
inside.  
  
"But you never went away, you always took everything I threw at you and kept right on coming... I   
couldn't stop you from getting closer to me, from getting me to care about you..."  
  
Suddenly Asuka stopped, realizing what she had just admitted to him.   
  
Trying to lift the heavy mood that's descended in the shelter, Shinji speaks "Hey, look, the rain is   
stopping..."  
  
"Good, I'd like to get back soon."  
  
"Alright, let's get our shoes back on and we'll go."  
  
"Okay."  
  
Putting thier shoes and socks back on, Shinji and Asuka begin the long hike back to Misato's   
apartment. Halfway there, Asuka begins to slow down and comes to a stop on the sidewalk.  
  
"Shinji, can we rest a minute?"  
  
"Sure."  
  
"Thanks."  
  
Asuka finds a guard rail to sit on and Shinji joins her putting his arm around her again. She leans   
into him slightly finding his warmth inviting.  
  
"It's getting really late, Asuka. You want me to carry you there?"  
  
Too tired to argue about it, Asuka just agrees to let him carry her back to the apartment. (Besides,   
since when would Asuka refuse the easy way out of a problem? Like when she makes Shinji carry   
her bag and lunch to and from school each day.)Shinji picks her up under her arms and hooks his   
other arm under her knees. A few minutes later, she's fast asleep in his arms with her arms   
wrapped around his neck and her head on his shoulder.   
  
'Hmmm... I never would've believed this could be happening a week ago...'  
  
About 15 minutes later, Shinji arrives at the appartment and faces a rather unique dilema. How to   
open the door without putting Asuka down or waking her up. After a few minutes of figuring out how   
to shift her in his arms to make it possible for him to get his key-card and open the door, he puts   
her feet on the ground slowly, digs in his pocket for the card in question, and opens the door.  
  
Picking her up again, he walks into the small hallway just inside the threshold after removing his   
shoes. Moving down the hall, he goes first to her room where he again shifts Asuka in his arms to   
open the door and places her gently on the bed. He proceeds to remove her shoes and cover her   
with her blankets before turning to leave her room.   
  
At the door, he turns to her again, and whispers "Good night, Asuka-chan. And sweet dreams..." In   
her sleep Asuka turns onto her side and smiles.   
  
With a smile on his face, Shinji closes the door, and goes back to the livingroom to check the   
answering machine. He hadn't heard Misato snoring or swearing when he entered the apartment so   
he'd assumed that she must still be at NERV. Sure enough, there was a message on the machine.   
Turning the volume on the device down as to not risk giving Asuka a very rude awakening, he   
presses the play button on the recorder.  
  
"Hey, there you guys... I'm gonna be stuck at headquarters for tonight and the better part of   
tomorrow finishing up some paperwork, I hope... Anyway, you two are on your own until tomorrow   
evening so have fun... (a little quieter) and please try not to kill each other..."  
  
Having heard the message, he decides to delete it and just tell Asuka about it tomorrow. After doing   
so, he heads for his room to get some sleep. However, as he opens the door, he is quickly   
reminded of the SEVERAL bags of clothes Asuka had bought him earlier that day.   
  
"This is going to be a looong night..."  
  
Sighing, Shinji begins to rummage through the bags as quietly as he can and begins to organize   
and store his new wardrobe before going to bed.  
  
?To be Continued? ?End? 


	2. You never know what you have until you l...

Insert standard possession disclaimer here... (I don't own Evangelion yadda, yadda,   
yadda...)  
  
I know it took a while, but here's chapter 2. Enjoy!  
  
Confessions in the Rain  
  
Chapter 2  
  
You never know what you have until you lose it.   
  
Part 1  
  
Alexander Pope - "And if I lose thy love, I lose my all."  
  
---August 16, 2018---  
  
The room is quiet save for the sounds of cicadas chirping outside. The sun is shining   
brightly through the window illuminating the contents of the room. The room is cluttered   
with magazines, clothing, and bits of trash lying on the floor. There are a few movie and   
rock band posters on the walls giving the room a lived-in feeling.  
  
Suddenly, a loud buzzing sound can be heard coming from a nearby alarm clock.   
Groggily, a hand exits the covers on the futon and whaps the alarm clock's snooze   
button effectively shutting it up. Slowly, the mound under the covers begins to stir and a   
very disheveled Asuka sits up in her futon and yawns sleepily before realizing that she   
had slept in her clothes from the previous day. Paying no attention to what she's wearing,   
she begins to change out of her clothes to take a shower.   
  
Outside Asuka's room in the kitchen, Shinji is preparing lunch for the two of them when   
Asuka exits her room and goes to take her morning shower.  
  
'Hmm... No greeting this morning. After a night like last, I would have expected her to do   
something when she woke up today...' Shinji continues to make thier lunches, but then   
realizes how much time he has spent on that instead of their breakfasts. Hurredly, Shinji   
begins to prepare a simple breakfast.  
  
A short time later, Asuka finishes her shower and leaves the bathroom already dressed   
in her school uniform.  
  
"Where's Misato?"  
  
"She left a message on the machine last night saying that she wasn't going to be back   
until later tonight. I think she forgot which day of the week it is again."  
  
"Really, whatever gave you THAT idea?"  
  
"Ummm..."  
  
Sighing, "Nevermind..."  
  
Asuka sits at the table and Shinji places the quick breakfast of toast with jam he's made   
in front of her.  
  
"What's this?"  
  
"Breakfast."  
  
"You're joking, right?"  
  
"No..."  
  
"Arrgghh... Do you really expect this to be enough to keep me full until lunch?!?"  
  
"Not really, I think I just spent too much time making our lunches this morning."  
  
"Oh, great, so instead of me having you buy my lunch for me at school, you're going to   
have me be hungry all morning!?!"  
  
Noticing that Asuka is becoming more and more irate as the seconds pass Shinji begins   
to realize the impending danger: 'Better do something now to calm her down.'  
  
"Look, Asuka, we really don't have time for me to make any more food for breakfast. I   
promise that I made a lot of really good food for us today..."  
  
Still angry, Asuka begins her own retort: "Hmm... well, I'd have to agree with you on the   
time, but really good food doesn't make up for this." Now standing tall a little more than an   
arm's length from Shinji and pointing indignantly at him with her right index finger: "Just   
be glad that I started in a good mood today. It's what's keeping me from slapping you silly   
right now."  
  
Having said this, Asuka sits back down and quickly finishes her toast. A few minutes later   
Asuka and Shinji collect their bags and begin the long walk to school.  
  
Asuka is walking beside Shinji but about half a pace behind as she thinks about this   
morning.  
  
'I can't believe that baka didn't make our breakfasts this morning. What was he thinking?   
He knows I'm not in a good mood when I'm hungry. Although he did say that he was   
spending the time making our lunches. Maybe he was just thinking ahead instead of   
thinking about the present. ARRGGHH... I hate trying to get in that little skull of his.'  
  
---Lunchtime---  
  
"Asuka, wake up..."  
  
Shinji is standing by Asuka's desk trying to wake her up. She had fallen asleep during one   
of the teacher's speeches about second impact. Her forehead is resting on the keyboard   
of her laptop and her hair has fallen around her head obscuring her face from view.  
  
"Asuka..."  
  
"..."  
  
'Hmmm... Let's try something else...'  
  
bending over, Shinji places his mouth near Asuka's ear and...  
  
"ASUKA!!! WAKE UP!!!"  
  
Suddenly, Asuka is wide-awake and sits up incredibly fast. Unfortunately, this causes her   
to loose her balance and she falls out of her chair and onto the floor.  
  
"OWWW!!! GOTT VERDAMMT!!!"  
  
Not having expected Asuka to fall on the floor, Shinji just stares at her in surprise until her   
German curses snap him out of it and he offers to help her up.  
  
"Ummm... I'm sorry Asuka, I didn't mean to make you fall out of your seat like that, I just   
wanted to wake you up to give you your lunch..."  
  
Slapping his hand away, Asuka gets up on her own and stands face to face with him.   
  
"BAKA!!! WHY IN GOTT'S NAME DID YOU TRY TO WAKE ME UP LIKE THAT!?!?"   
  
"I'm S..."  
  
"DON'T! DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT!!! I DON'T CARE IF YOU'RE SORRY, JUST   
GIVE ME MY LUNCH AND GET OUT OF MY FACE!!!"  
  
Hurt, Shinji gives Asuka her lunch and watches her storm off to find Hikari. He's now the   
only one left in the classroom.  
  
"Why?"  
  
With his head held low, Shinji lets his shoulders slump, and walks out of the room.  
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Asuka finds Hikari standing a short distance from the classroom waiting for her. Once   
Asuka has walked up next to her, she falls into step with her and they walk to where they   
usually eat their lunches.  
  
"Asuka..."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Why did you yell at him like that?"  
  
"The BAKA yelled in my ear to wake me up!"  
  
"But you still didn't need to yell at him like that."  
  
"Yes I did. He caused me to fall out of my chair!"  
  
"That's not a very good reason Asuka..."  
  
"It is to me."  
  
'Why does she always treat him like this? Can't she see how Shinji looks at her?'  
  
"Asuka..."  
  
At this moment, Touji and Kensuke walk up to the girls. They look like they're searching   
for something or someone.  
  
"Hey, Hikari-chan, have you seen Shinji anywhere?"  
  
At the mention of Shinji's name, Asuka responds to Touji before Hikari gets the chance:   
"Last I knew he was in the classroom, why don't you stooges try looking there."  
  
"ASUKA!!"  
  
"What Hikari?"  
  
"Don't you dare call Touji a stooge."  
  
Asuka reponds to her friends warning with sarcasm dripping from her voice: "Oh, yeah...I   
forgot, you to are joined at the hip right?"  
  
Now Asuka's picking on Hikari gets Touji angy as well: "Look, I don't really mind being   
called a stooge, but don't talk to my girlfriend and your best friend that way. And we've   
already looked there."  
  
"Didn't you have a baka hentai to find?"  
  
With that, Asuka begins to walk away from the three students to find a place to sit down   
and eat.  
  
"Do you mind if I eat with you today Touji?"  
  
Blushing slightly: "Um, no, of course not, but why?"  
  
"Well, Asuka seems to be in an exceptionally bad mood today. I just hope she didn't hurt   
Shinji too badly when she yelled at him just a while ago..."  
  
Surprised at what they had just heard, Touji and Kensuke both ask the same thing at the   
same time: "What about?"  
  
"Well..."  
  
And for the next few minutes, Hikari tells Touji and Kensuke about wht she's been able to   
figurre out about what just happened as they walk back towards the clasroom to see if   
Shinji had returned.  
  
---After lunch in Classroom 2-A---  
Asuka is idly tapping on her keyboard when a message pops up on her screen.  
  
Pilot Sohryu  
  
Somewhat annoyed at the sudden message from the First Child, Asuka begins typing out   
a response.  
  
What is it, Wondergirl?  
  
Where is Ikari?  
  
Now surprised that Rei would be interested in Shinji's whereabouts, Asuka gets that   
much more annoyed with the blue-haired girl.  
  
How should I know?  
  
You do live with him do you not?  
  
'Damn her logic.'  
  
I would rather not live with that baka hentai, but yeah. Why?  
  
I am...  
  
What?  
  
Concerned  
  
'She's concerned? The DOLL is CONCERENED?' Now very much in a near full rage,   
Asuka nearly pounds out the next message she sends to her fellow pilot.  
  
Look, I don't know where he is, and I don't care.  
  
Very well, I will leave you alone.  
  
Good  
  
---Misato's Apartment, about the same time---  
  
Misato is standing just inside her door removing her shoes.  
  
"Ahhh... I thought I'd never get all that paperwork done..."  
  
As she says this, she walks down the narrow hall of her apartment and stops at the   
kitchen table. On it is a note with her name on it. By the look of the well-formed kanji, she   
figures it must be from Shinji. Opening the note, she begins to read:  
  
Misato,  
  
Life here has become too stressful for my liking. I'm leaving. This time I won't be coming   
back.  
  
Shinji.  
  
Upon reading the last line, Misato collapses next to the table and begins to cry   
uncontrollably. For her, this is almost as painful as having lost Kaji, but it's more like   
having lost her son.   
  
---Katsuragi residence, 4:30 pm---  
  
"Tadaima..."  
  
"Asuka, get in here."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
Hearing Misato's voice just now, Asuka can tell she's not in a very good mood. Slowly,   
Asuka walks into the kitchen and sees Misato sitting in one of the chairs surrounding the   
table. Misato waits until Asuka is across the table from her before she begins.  
  
"He's gone."  
  
"Who?"  
  
Misato doesn't say anything, she just slides the note across the table to Asuka. She   
doesn't even need to open it to know who it's from and what it says.  
  
"OPEN IT!"  
  
Asuka slowly complies, opening the letter and reading it.  
  
After reading the letter, Asuka nearly breaks down herself, but manages to keep enough   
control to keep her facade up, but just barely.  
  
"What did you do to him?"  
  
"..."  
  
For once, Asuka is speechless as the ramifications of the letter sink into her   
consciousness.  
  
"WHAT DID Y..."  
  
"Where did he go!?!?"  
  
"What?"  
  
Surprised at Asuka's question more than her outburst, Misato pulls back a little bit and   
just sits there staring at Asuka.  
  
"WHERE DID HE GO!?!?"  
  
Seeing that Asuka is now close to tears, Misato tells Asuka about some of the places she   
might find Shinji if he's not already gone. The moment she's finished, Asuka bolts out the   
door and begins her search for Shinji. She begins by going to a few of the places they've   
been together and a few places he's told her about. After trying the first few places, she   
figures it's time to go look for him at Rei's.  
  
-----Rei's apartment 6:00 PM----  
  
Asuka is standing in front of the appartment labeled 402 in the more run-down section of   
Tokyo-3. She steps forward and knocks on the door. A few moments later, Rei opens the   
door and looks at Asuka.   
  
"Has Shinji been here at all?"  
  
"No. Why?"  
  
"Rei, there's something you should know."  
  
"..."  
  
Asuka hands Rei the note that Shinji had left for misato. Rei takes it and begins to read.  
  
"I see."  
  
"What?"  
  
"That Ikari-kun has left."  
  
"Well don't you want to do something about it?!?"  
  
"What could I do if he has already left?"  
  
"We don't know if he's gone yet! We have to at least look for him to make sure!"  
  
"Why do you wish to find him?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Why do you wish to find him? Earlier you said you did not care where he was."  
  
'Why do I want to find him?'  
  
Because he is your friend.  
  
'No, that's not it.'  
  
Because you wish to beat the living daylights out of him.  
  
'NO!'  
  
Because you want him to stay.  
  
'Yes, that's it.'  
  
Because you want him to stay with you.  
  
'Yes.'  
  
Because you love him.  
  
'Love him?'  
  
Yes, because when you read that letter, you realized just how much he meant to you.  
  
'No! I just don't want to loose another person in my life.'  
  
Because you love him and everyone who you have loved has left you.  
  
Images of her mother, father and Unit 02 flash through her mind until it settles on a   
continuous stream of images of Shinji ranging from him piloting, to him smiling, him   
walking next to her, him blushing from her teasing, then they freeze on him kissing her   
last night.  
  
'Yes. I do love him. And he's left me just like everyone else.'  
  
Because you drove him away.  
  
'Yes.'  
  
There is still a chance he hasn't left.  
  
'Yeah, but not much of one.'  
  
But it is still a chance. USE IT.  
  
Seeing Rei staring back at her awaiting an answer to her question, Asuka snaps out of   
her introspection and speaks:  
  
"Because I don't wnat him to leave before I have a chance to say goodbye."  
  
"Very well."  
  
"Would you like to help?"  
  
"What can I do?"  
  
Asuka asks Rei to check for Shinji in certain places realted to her by Misato. After that,   
Asuka takes the letter back from Rei and they split up to look for Shinji.  
  
-------------------------------------------------  
  
Asuka arrives at the scenic overlook of Tokyo-3 and looks around briefly. It's getting late   
and the sun is hanging low in the sky over the mountains casting an orange light over   
everything.  
  
"He's not here either. Maybe I should go to the station and see if he's there."  
  
She begins to walk in the direction of the train station when she remembers something   
from the previous day:  
  
"Whenever I've felt that my world was being ripped apart, I would come here and I would   
feel better."  
  
"AH. Of course!"  
  
Now with new hope, Asuka runs off in the direction of the lake that Shinji had taken her to   
yesterday.   
  
---The lake near Tokyo-3 just before sunset.---  
  
Shinji is sitting on the grassy hill overlooking the lake remembering the fight with Asuka   
from earlier that day. Next to him is a small backpack containing all the possessions he   
cared enough about to bring with him.  
  
Shinji is so engulfed in memory, he hasn't registered the passage of time nor does he   
hear Asuka walk up behind him.  
  
Panting, 'Thank Gott... I thought I'd lost him...'  
  
"Shinji..."  
  
On hearing his name, Shinji is snapped out of his reverie and turns to face the person   
who had addressed him. 


	3. You never know what you have until you l...

Disclaimer: I don't own Evangelion or it's characters.  
  
Thanks to Dennisud for prereading this and the previous chapter.  
  
Thanks to James for prereading this chapter  
  
If you would like to be a prereader, please say so in your review (Include your e-mail address or   
you won't get anything) and I will send you the next chapter when I deem it ready for preread.  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Confessions in the rain  
  
Chapter 2  
  
You never know what you have until you lose it.   
  
Part 2  
  
"Sometimes I wish I were a little kid again, skinned knees are easier to fix than broken hearts."  
-Unknown  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Shinji is sitting on the grassy hill overlooking the lake remembering the fight with Asuka from earlier   
that day. Next to him is a small backpack containing all the possessions he cared enough about to   
bring with him.  
  
Shinji is so engulfed in memory, he hasn't registered the passage of time nor does he hear Asuka   
walk up behind him.  
  
Panting, 'Thank Gott... I thought I'd lost him...'  
  
"Shinji..."  
  
On hearing his name, Shinji is snapped out of his reverie and turns to face the person who had   
addressed him.   
  
A few moments pass as the two teens stare at each other. Asuka with a bit of relief on her face,   
and Shinji with a touch of anger on his.  
  
As the moments pass, Asuka begins to feel uneasy. 'Why is he looking at me like that? I've seen   
him angry before, but never at me... could that mean...'  
  
Only one way to find out, ask him.  
  
'Right...'  
  
But before Asuka can say anything, Shinji speaks first: "Why are YOU here?" putting as much   
venom into that one word as he possibly can as he directs his question towards the girl he thought   
could love him the way he loves her.  
  
"I..."  
  
"Oh, I know... You came here to berate me, insult me and make me feel guilty for wanting to leave   
after what YOU did. Am I right?"  
  
Honestly not knowing what had caused Shinji to speak to her that way, Asuka decided to just ask   
him.  
  
"Sure, that thought had crossed my mind..." on saying this she thinks to herself: 'Liar!'   
"but that's not why I came."  
  
"Then why?"  
  
"Misato showed me your letter and I... I wanted to say..."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Dammit, Shinji, this is hard enough for me already. Just shut up and listen to what I have to say..."  
  
"Fine. But make it quick, my train is going to leave in a couple of hours and I don't want to miss it."  
  
Hearing him say this wasn't making her feel any better about whether or not she could get him to   
stay. So she made up her mind to do exactly as he wished.  
  
"I'm sorry, Shinji."  
  
Of all the things he had expected her to say, that was NOT one of them. Shocked, all he could do   
was sit there looking up at her as she stared back at him waiting for an answer. Although, the fact   
was that even if he wasn't expecting her to say it, there was a part of him that was hoping she   
would. Still not quite believing his ears, he asked dumbly: "What did you just say?"  
  
"I said 'I'm sorry'. What do you want, to have me dance a jig or fall all over you and beg you not to   
leave?"   
  
(Voice in her head) And you would have too if he had kept silent just now.  
  
'I know.'  
  
"No, I just didn't think that you'd say that Asuka. But..."  
  
"Shinji, I don't want you to leave..."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Don't leave me..."  
  
Shinji picked up on that immediately. ' 'Don't leave ME'? What does that mean, could she really   
care after all?'   
  
"Why shouldn't I?"  
  
"Because..."  
  
Shinji waited to see what she would say before he chose to leave or stay.  
  
As he waited, Asuka started to look down at her shoes as she tried to put into words what she had   
discovered about herself that night as she searched for him.  
  
Shinji waited until the sun was about to sink below the mountains before he turned to leave. After   
walking about ten feet, he heard it.  
  
"I...need you."  
  
That one statement made him stop in his tracks. As he stood there immersed in thought, Asuka   
continued to stare silently at her shoes as she waited for his answer.  
  
'She needs me? What does she mean by that? She's always saying that she doesn't need anyone.   
This must be some kind of joke.'  
  
Without turning, Shinji responds to Asuka's confession: "I'm not in the mood for your games Asuka.   
Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a train to catch."   
  
Again, Shinji begins to walk away, but this time, he's stopped by a now weeping German girl   
embracing him from behind.  
  
As he listened, He could make out little bits and pieces of things Asuka was trying to say. "...Don't   
leave me...sob...I NEED you...sob..."   
  
Eventually, she stopped making intelligible sounds and just kept sobbing into his back as he   
continued to stand there, stunned and guilt ridden that he had actually made her cry the way she   
was.  
  
Minutes pass, the sun sets, and the two teens continue to stand still, with only the sounds of   
Asuka's sobbing and the cicadas' incessant chirping in the air. Eventually, Asuka manages to   
recompose herself, and with a few tears still in her eyes, she speaks first:  
  
"Please, don't leave."  
  
Still stunned by all that has happened in the past 20 minutes, Shinji continues to stand there   
dumbfounded as Asuka continues to hold him as tight as she can trying to keep him from going   
anywhere. After a few minutes of his continued silence, Asuka begins to fear that he still wants to   
leave.   
  
"Shinji, why are you acting like this? Why are you so cold all of a sudden?"  
  
Then it hits him. He had been acting just like his father. The man he still hated. The man he could   
never forgive. 'Why am I acting this way? I don't want to become him! I WON'T become him!' Now,   
as his realization really hits him, HE begins to cry. But, he doesn't completely break down like   
Asuka did, he only lets out a few whimpers and a few tears escape his tightly closed eyes. 'I WILL   
NOT BECOME THAT BASTARD AND ABANDON THOSE I LOVE!!!"  
  
Still sobbing slightly, Shinji turns to face her, places his right hand on her cheek, and begins: "I'm   
sorry Asuka, I don't know what came over me." He looked into those deep blue colored eyes of hers   
as he wiped away a tear slowly making its way down her pretty face. "Can you forgive me for   
making you cry just now?"  
  
She smiled. "I can, if you can forgive me for all the terrible things I've done to you."  
  
He took her into his arms, "Well, I guess we can call it even then."  
  
"Yeah." She had her smile from the day before. He simply nodded.  
  
"I want to leave."  
  
"WHAT?!?!?! You're still going to leave? Even after all this?"  
  
At this point, Asuka had begun to cry again thinking that she had come all the way out here and   
said all those things for nothing.  
  
He had an apologetic look on his face. "No, I meant leave HERE. As in go home... to OUR home."  
  
Letting out a sigh of relief, Asuka tightened her hold on him as Shinji tightened his as well.  
  
"Don't ever even think about leaving me again..."  
  
"I won't, I promise." Each tightened their grip slightly.  
  
With this said, the two begin the long walk home, arm in arm, feeling warm and happy.  
  
-------Streets of Tokyo-3, Early evening-------  
  
The two had been walking in near silence, arm in arm, for about an hour when Shinji thought of   
something.  
  
"Asuka?"  
  
"Hmm?"  
  
"How did you know I was leaving?"  
  
Asuka said nothing as she produced Shinji's note to Misato and waved it in front of his nose.  
  
"Oh. I'm guessing you found it?"  
  
Putting the letter away, she answered him: "No. Misato did. Apparently, she got off work earlier   
than she thought she would."  
  
"Oh...great..." He rubbed his face in frustration with his free hand.  
  
Looking at him with a confused expression:"What?"  
  
With a groan, Shinji responds. "Misato is gonna get really emotional when we get back."   
  
In a VERY sarcastic yet playful tone of voice, "Really? What ever gave you THAT idea?"  
  
Shinji just looked at Asuka a bit annoyed by her statement, but not really angry. Almost giggling at   
his response, Asuka rested her head on his shoulder, calming him just a bit. They walked for a little   
while longer before Shinji continued to describe his fears of what Misato would do when he arrived at   
the apartment.  
  
------- Katsuragi Residence 7:30 pm -------  
  
Misato had fallen asleep at the kitchen table with a collection of beer cans surrounding her.   
Standing on one of the chairs across the table from her is Pen Pen. He just looked at her for a while   
trying to figure out if he was hungry enough to risk waking her up to make him a meal.   
Remembering one (Famous) encounter with Misato's curry, the warm-water penguin decided not to   
take the risk.   
  
At about the same time Pen Pen made his conclusion, the door is heard sliding open, and two sets   
of footsteps are heard in the apartment. Pen Pen climbed down from his chair and poked his head   
into the hallway to see Asuka and a fairly nervous looking Shinji in the entranceway removing their   
shoes.  
  
After determining who it was, Pen Pen waddled up to Shinji and tugged on the leg of his pants to   
get the boy's attention. Shinji smiled at the very intelligent fowl and ruffled the feathers on his head.   
"I know Pen Pen, you must be hungry." Having said this, Shinji walked to the kitchen and found a   
sleeping Misato. As Shinji stood in the doorway to the kitchen, Asuka walked up behind him and   
looked in as well.  
  
With a surprised face, Shinji is the first to speak with a hint of disbelief in his voice: "She's fast   
asleep..."  
  
Getting somewhat annoyed by Shinji's lack of action, Asuka made a suggestion: "Want me to   
wake her up so you can apologise to her?"  
  
Flustered, Shinji stammered "NO!...I mean...She's sleeping so well..."  
  
Smiling from ear to ear, "Right... You just don't want to get bear hugged when she wakes up."  
  
After this, the two teens got into an argument in the kitchen. At first, it was rather subdued since   
neither of them wanted to wake up their guardian. However, as the argument continued, they started   
to forget where they were and the volume of their dispute began to rise.   
  
Eventually, the fight got so loud that it inadvertently woke up the only other occupant of the room...   
Misato.  
  
Sitting up from where she had her head on the table, Misato groaned, "UUUGGHHH..."  
  
Upon hearing this, both teens stop fighting and turn to face their now 'awake' guardian.  
  
A few moments pass as Misato looks at her charges with a blank expression. As the teens watch,   
they see Misato's mind trying to kick itself into gear as her eyes slowly move between the two and   
she becomes more awake. Then, a flash of recognition moves across her face as she nearly jumps   
over the table to get to Shinji. After a few failed attempts to do this, Misato opts for going around the   
table.  
  
Once she gets into range, she promptly grabs BOTH teens in a huge bear hug that takes Asuka by   
complete surprise since she wasn't expecting to participate.  
  
After a few minutes of expressing her relief for seeing Shinji again, she lets the teens go never   
taking her eyes off Shinji.   
  
"Misato...I...I'm sorry..."  
  
Misato smiles at the 18-year-old boy and places a hand on his shoulder. "Hey, as long as you   
promise to not do anything like that again, all is forgiven."  
  
Before answering, Shinji glances at Asuka who smiles back at him and gives him an encouraging   
nod. Looking back at Misato and smiling, he answers: "Okay, I promise."   
  
Luckily, for the two teens, Misato was too drunk to notice their little non-verbal exchange.  
  
"Great! Now that that's settled, how about dinner?" As she says this, she turns and starts to walk   
over to the fridge to scope out something to cook.  
  
"No, um, Misato, you look tired." Asuka stated trying to keep Misato from cooking by any means   
nessecary. "Why not let me and baka-kun cook tonight?"  
  
Turning to face her red-haired charge, "When...WHEN DID YOU LEARN TO COOK???"  
  
Shrugging her shoulders as if the answer to her guardian's question was unimportant, "Who ever   
said that I didn't already know how to cook?"  
  
Within a few short minutes, Asuka and Misato start to argue about each other's cooking abilities   
while Shinji walks over to the refrigerator to begin a meal. As the two females of the house continue   
their verbal war, Shinji makes dinner by himself as usual...  
  
As his roomates argue and the dinner cooks, Shinji takes it upon himself to clear the table of all the   
empty beer cans that Misato had left behind. While he was still clearing the table, Asuka asked:   
  
"What do you think Shinji?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Who do you think can cook better? Me or Misato?"  
  
"Ummm...I..." Shinji began thinking very hard to think of an answer that would not get either of them   
angry but would not lead to any further questioning. Because of his new dilemma, Shinji blanked   
out to the rest of the world.  
  
"Hello... Anyone in there?" Snapping out of his thoughts thanks to a hand waving in front of his face,   
Shinji realized that he had zoned out and still hadn't answered Asuka's question.  
  
"Ummm... I know what Misato's cooking is like, but I can't make any kind of comparison because   
I've never eaten any food made by you, Asuka..."  
  
At the end of Shinji's statement, the buzzer on the stove's timer began to...well...buzz.  
  
"Dinner's ready..." Shinji announced. "Sit down at the table and I'll fix your plates."  
  
"Okay, fine, we'll settle this tomorrow." Without another word on the subject, Asuka and Misato sat   
down at the table and waited for Shinji to start dishing out the food he made.  
  
From this point on, the three of them enjoyed a normal meal in the Katsuragi residence that night.  
  
After dinner, the three of them went to their respective rooms and prepared for bed. Misato just   
walked into her room and fell onto her futon and went right to sleep. After entering his room, Shinji   
changed out of his clothes and into his nightwear. After this he placed the ear-buds of his SDAT   
into his ears and laid down on his futon and tried to focus on the music. Soon afterwards, he was   
asleep. Asuka's process was similar to Shinji's except for the SDAT. She rolled over several times   
before she finally fell asleep.  
  
-----A Hill-----  
  
Asuka was walking up a grassy hill in what apeared to be dusk. She crested the hill to find Shinji   
sitting on the ground near a backpack. He seemed to be watching the sunset.  
  
'What am I doing here? Didn't I already get Shinji to come back?'  
  
As Asuka observed the boy from behind, a girl walked by her with a hand pressed against her chest   
and appeared to be panting heavily. The girl had bright red hair and was wearing a school uniform.  
  
'Wait a sec... That's me... What's going on?'  
  
As Asuka watched her double, that Asuka called Shinji's name and he turned around. After this,   
events on the hill from earlier that day replayed themselves with Asuka as a silent observer. Things   
continued this way until Shinji asked her why he souldn't leave. After that question, Asuka found   
herself watching from her perspective again as her double remained silent as Shinji walked away   
from her calling back his goodbyes...  
  
"NO!! SHINJI!!!"  
  
Asuka was sitting straight up in her bed breathing heavily in a cold sweat. She looked around for a   
moment bewildered trying to figure out where she was. After determining that she's in her own   
room, she began to remember the nightmare she just had.   
  
Trying to hold back tears, she got up off her bed, opened the door to her room, and walked across   
the hall to Shinji's door. She knocked lightly on it a couple of times, but got no answer. Beginning   
to get a little more worried, she slid the door open and observed Shinji asleep on his futon.   
  
With a sigh of relief, Asuka entered his room, and knelt down beside where he slept. From her new   
vantage point, Asuka could see that Shinji had a slight smile on his face indicating he was having a   
pleasant dream.  
  
Smiling slightly herself, She thought: 'He's really cute when he sleeps...'  
  
Asuka then reached out with her hand and placed it lightly on his.  
  
At the touch, Shinji stirred a little bit, but remained sleeping. Asuka was a bit startled by his   
stirring, but she never lifted her hand from his. After settling himself back down, Shinji continued to   
sleep with a somewhat larger smile on his face.  
  
Seeing his reaction to her touch, Asuka smiled a little more before taking her hand away and moved  
to leave the room.  
  
A short time after, Asuka was once again in her bed, sleeping. But this time, neither nightmares   
from earlier that day nor from her distant past could haunt her tonight. She had only pleasant   
dreams involving herself and Shinji.  
  
  
to be continued...  
  
I end this chapter with these bits of advice:  
  
"Sometimes, one needs to have their heart broken to realize that they still had one. Some leave it   
that way and lead okay lives, a few do everything they can to put it back together and live   
exceptional lives filled with happiness and those they love" -Myself  
  
"Those with fragile hearts build the strongest walls" -Myself  
  
Next Chapter... How will Shinji and Asuka deal with their classmates? Will they continue on like   
nothing happened, or will they let everyone else know that they've at least come to terms? And   
what did Asuka mean when she said they'd settle the argument tomorrow?   
  
Find out next time on Neon Genesis: Evangelion: Confessions in the Rain... 


	4. Truth or Deception: Discoveries

Disclaimer: I don't own Evangelion already, stop bothering me… I'm not making any money off this anyway  
  
Thanks to my preareaders: Dennisud, James, and True Pride for prereading this chapter.  
  
Confessions in the Rain  
  
Chapter 3  
  
Truth or Deception: Discoveries  
  
Unknown - "All my friends and I are crazy. That's the only thing that keeps us sane."  
  
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The room was poorly lit because the sun had yet to rise. However, the moonlight and pre-dawn glow were reflecting off a nearby skyscraper entering the room through a window. In the dim light, one could see that the walls were bare and the floor was clean. Next to the desk there was a green book bag with the zipper open and nothing inside it. On the desk were a red laptop computer, a pencil, and several neatly stacked sheets of paper. On the other side of the desk, there was a black metal wastebasket.   
  
Abruptly, a loud beeping noise was heard in the room. Tiredly, a hand raised itself off of the bed and pressed the snooze button. Shortly after that, Shinji sat up in his futon and looked at the clock.  
  
"6:30 in the morning..." Shinji yawned as he lifted himself out of the bed and walked over to his closet to get out one of his uniforms and a housecoat that Asuka had bought him the other day. Remembering who had bought the garment for him, Shinji began to recount the events of last night. Lost in his thoughts, Shinji exited his room and deposited his clothes in the bathroom before going into the kitchen to start breakfast.  
  
About half an hour later, Asuka left her room and went into the bathroom. Forty minutes after that, she left the bathroom in her school uniform. Across the room, Misato entered the kitchen from the hallway.  
  
As his roommates sat at the table, Shinji set out their breakfasts before heading into the bathroom to take his shower.  
  
Noticing Shinji's new apparel, Misato wondered: "Hey Asuka, where'd Shinji get that robe?"  
  
After swallowing a bite of her food, she answered not paying much attention to what she was saying:  
  
"Me and Shinji went shopping the other day."  
  
Misato was so surprised by what she heard, she actually spat out the food she was eating nearly spraying it all over the table in front of her. Luckily, for Shinji, she only managed to get food all over her placemat. After recomposing herself, she managed to get out: "When...why...where...?"  
  
"What, all he ever wears is that stupid school uniform, even when we're not at school. I don't want to have to look at something that bland every day."  
  
Misato was now certain there was more to this situation than the young redhead was letting on, because of this she went from being curious to her teasing mode almost instantly:   
  
"And since when do you care about how Shinji looks?"   
  
Asuka just ignored her guardian's teasing tone of voice and answered as if it was the most obvious thing in the world and without completely thinking about what she was saying.  
  
"Since I have to go to school with him every day."  
  
The grin on Misato's face widened at that particular comment since there was NO WAY the young German girl would be able to get out of it:  
  
"You wear your uniforms to school. Or did you forget that even after putting yours on this morning?"  
  
Realizing her blunder, Asuka stopped eating and began staring at her food as she tried desperately to formulate a response to Misato's observation.  
  
"Well... um..."  
  
After trying many responses in her head, Asuka figures out that there is no way out of this situation, so she does what she usually does in any no-win argument... change the subject...  
  
"And what do you think you're wearing…I mean really, that getup is fine to sleep in, but do you really have to walk around the apartment like that?"  
  
Misato was wearing a VERY revealing set of shorts and a tank-top [You know the set I'm talking about, the one she wore in the first episode after bringing Shinji home]  
  
"My dress is not the issue here. Besides, are you afraid that he may get more interested in me instead of you?"  
  
"Are you saying that I'm jealous of you?!?! I just have to live with him. And I am NOT going to live with someone who has THAT LITTLE fashion sense."  
  
"Sure, Asuka, whatever you say, but I still think you like him more than you're letting on."  
  
"I DO NOT!!!"  
  
After her last comment, Misato left the kitchen and her empty plate behind to let the redhead digest what had been said in their argument.  
  
About twenty minutes later, Asuka had managed to calm herself enough to think about why she was going to surprise both her roommates with dinner...  
  
'Why was I going to cook dinner for her again?' Asuka thought about why she had made that decision for a few minutes before coming to the conclusion that this time she really did have something to prove to her guardian and roommate. 'Heh heh heh, I'll show them…'  
  
After steeling her resolve in this matter, Asuka began to devise her "War Plan":  
  
'Okay, first off, I have to get Shinji out of the apartment. Then I need to find out how late Misato is working tonight. I also have to figure out WHAT to cook and what I need to make it, whatever it is. Okay, now that I know what to do I can start with step one...Get BAKA-SHINJI out of the apartment!!'  
  
About this time, Shinji left the bathroom ready for school and sat down at the table after getting his own breakfast. After Shinji finished his breakfast, he and Asuka got their respective bags and headed off for school.  
  
----------------------------------  
  
After arriving at the outer doors to the elevator, Shinji pressed the call button to get the car up to their level. Shortly after the doors open, the two teens walked into the small elevator car and Shinji pressed the button for the ground floor.  
  
As the elevator descends, Asuka moved closer to him and held onto his arm. Not expecting this action, Shinji tensed up for a moment but soon managed to relax. The doors finally opened onto the lobby of the apartment building and the two teens walked out arm in arm.  
  
----------------------------------  
It was a fine, sunny day that morning, the sound of cars and trucks moving up and down the streets as their occupants began another day of hard work in Tokyo-3.  
  
While a lot people here drive to and from work, or even drive for a living, more people were forced to walk to where they need to go because of the traffic in this high-tech city. Two of these people were Shinji Ikari and Sohryu Asuka Langley. Of course, they didn't really have a choice in the matter; they're too young to drive anyway.  
  
As the two teens made their way down the sidewalk, some people gave them disapproving looks because of how much affection they're showing in public [Don't tell me that people wouldn't do that seeing a couple walking like this, I know there are people in Japan who think that even holding hands is too much in public.]   
  
"Shinji, what is our relationship now?"  
  
Confused, Shinji looked at her with wonder on his face: "What are you talking about?"  
  
Asuka gently squeezed the arm that she was holding to emphasize her point: "This."  
  
"Oh, um..." Shinji took a moment to think about what Asuka had asked him before continuing:  
  
"I don't know..."  
  
Slightly annoyed by his indecision, Asuka figured it was best to lead him through some logic: "Baka...Are we friends?"  
  
"Well, yes and no... I mean, it feels like more than that."  
  
"Well, is it like a brother and sister sort of thing?"  
  
Shinji thought about that for a few seconds and came to a conclusion: "No, that doesn't sound quite right. I mean, I think of Rei as a sister, but it's not the same with you."  
  
"Are we a couple now?"  
  
At this suggestion by his red-headed companion, Shinji became slightly embarrassed, but still managed to answer her: "I'm not sure, I mean...I've never had any relationships like this before..."  
  
Now grinning since her objective was sooo close, Asuka decided to 'put the final nail in the coffin' so to speak: "Hmmm...well, want to give it a try?"  
  
Now blushing terribly, Shinji managed a somewhat stammered answer: "S…Sounds nice...sure, let's give it a try."  
  
Now beaming, Asuka tightens her grip on Shinji's arm.  
  
A time passed without either of them saying a word until Asuka thought of something.  
  
"How are we going to handle this in class? What will they think?"  
  
Shinji just turned his head to look at his redheaded girlfriend as she looked at him.  
  
In a rare show of strength, Shinji smiled at her and said very resolutely: "Let'em think what they want. I'm done worrying about other people's opinions"  
  
Asuka just stared at him for a few seconds trying to figure out what just happened with him. 'A second ago, he couldn't finish a sentence without tripping over his own words…' She then smiled as she figured out a possible explanation: "I'm rubbing off on you, Third Child."  
  
Shinji thought about this for a moment, then: "Maybe you are, maybe you are…"  
  
----------------------------------  
  
Shinji and Asuka finally arrived at the gates to their school where they usually parted ways in the courtyard. However, today was different. As they walked through the gate, Asuka continued to hold onto Shinji's arm expecting their contact to cause quite an uproar amongst most of the male population of the school.  
  
As they walked through the crowd of students arm-in-arm, they could hear hushed statements of disbelief such as several "No way"'s and some "I told you so"'s along with even more...shall we say arrays of colorful metaphors... However, the main reaction they received in the courtyard was plain out staring.  
  
----------------------------------  
  
The moment they walked into their classroom, they were met with a few screams and lots of fainting. Rei, however, just sat at her desk acting as though she wasn't interested, but she was happy inside that Shinji had apparently found that which makes him happy. If anyone had been looking at her, the shock of the newest couple's identity combined with the shock of seeing the slight smile on her face would probably have leveled the part of the class who had managed to stay conscious.  
  
Touji was standing slack-jawed, wide eyed, stark white, and pointing just like the first time Asuka had walked into the classroom. He couldn't believe that of all people Shinji could've fallen for, it HAD to be Asuka. Asuka couldn't believe how many girls reacted to her being with Shinji. As far as she knew, most of the female student population wouldn't have given him the time of day...  
  
After those in the class who had fainted had regained consciousness, Kensuke went up to the front of the class and started to read off names from a list he had stored in a little black book that he had produced from one of his pockets. As the names were read off, several students in the class approached Kensuke and laid wads of cash in his hand which he promptly sorted into a steadily growing stack of bills.   
  
After he was through with his collection, Kensuke began reading off another, somewhat shorter list of names. Again, students in the class approached him. After looking up how much each person had bet, he then took a certain amount of money and gave it to each person.  
  
During this whole process, Asuka was getting more and more angry. The only reason she hadn't exploded in a fit of rage as Kensuke began his collection was because as she got angry, she began to squeeze on Shinji's arm. The angrier she got, the tighter she gripped Shinji's arm.  
  
In the beginning, Shinji didn't really mind Asuka squeezing his arm the way she was, until she started digging her nails into his upper arm. As her grip continues to tighten, Shinji begins to groan in pain, unwilling to risk setting off the redheaded powder keg that was developing beside him.  
  
As Asuka watched those who were collecting their winnings, she noticed her friend Hikari in the line waiting to collect her money. On seeing this, her grip on Shinji's arm relaxed prompting a sigh from her companion. Looking up at him slightly, she asked:   
  
"What's wrong?"  
  
Shinji said nothing in response, but simply lifted up the sleeve of his shirt showing Asuka the imprints her nails had left in his arm. Even though she hadn't been squeezing hard enough to cause her nails to draw blood, the marks on his arm were still fairly deep. Seeing what she had unknowingly done to him, she simply ran her palm lightly over the marks she had left on his arm and said softly:  
  
"I'm sorry, I didn't realize..."  
  
[Don't get me wrong here, she's NOT getting all sappy over him, she'd only do that in private at this point. (if even then…)]  
  
Smiling at her: "It's okay, I know you didn't mean to."  
  
After saying this, the last few people in the line received their winnings and Kensuke pocketed the rest of the money. Before the new couple could react to it, they were surrounded by everyone in their class and eventually separated and interrogated about their relationship. Shinji was taken by the boys of the class, wanting to know how he did it so they could possibly use the same tactic to win over the girls they were interested in. Asuka was taken away by the girls wanting to know the same thing, but to keep from falling for it until the boys they were interested in tried it.  
  
As the rest of the class wrung every drop of information out of the two former Eva pilots, Rei just looked out of the window, having lost interest in the activities of the rest of the class.  
  
Eventually, the teacher walked into the room and when the class continued as it was, he cleared his throat to signal his arrival.  
  
Hearing the teacher behind her, Hikari blushed deeply because she had forgotten about her daily duties. She hastily began to push people towards their desks alerting them to the presence of the teacher. As word spread through the class, the students all got back to their seats and Hikari finally performed the greeting ritual and class began.  
  
----------------------------------  
  
The teacher was droning on about Second Impact while some students tapped idly on their keyboards, others looking like they were taking notes, but most just put their heads down on their desks and went to sleep.  
  
Among those was Asuka. Even though she had tried to stay awake in order to avoid the incident from the previous day happening again, she had still succumbed to the teacher's monotonous voice. Luckily, for Shinji, it wasn't a very deep sleep for when the bell finally rang for lunch Asuka awoke to find most of the class rushing the door in an attempt to escape the tedium of the dreaded Second Impact story.  
  
Shaking the sleep from her head, Asuka got up and walked over to Hikari's desk to talk with her. As she approached the class rep's desk, she felt a hand on her shoulder. Knowing only one person would be able to survive such a gesture, she turned and planted a kiss on his lips.  
  
After she breaks the kiss a short time later, Asuka hugs the person she kissed rather lovingly.  
  
"Y'know, Shinji, you really need to learn to loosen up a bit around people…"  
  
"Sorry, Barron von Demon… But I ain't Shinji."  
  
Jumping back with a yelp, Asuka stares at the boy she kissed only to find out that it was Touji. With this new piece of information in her head, she begins to spit and gag trying to get his taste out of her mouth. After feeling like she had done a sufficient job of ridding her mouth of his taste, she glared at him and began yet another tirade focused on the jock.  
  
"And just who do you think you are anyway? Walking up behind me and touching me without permission you verdrehte blödmann!!!(1)"  
  
Before the first stooge had a chance to respond, Asuka sauntered away from him in the direction of Hikari's desk.  
  
Just as she made it to her desk, Asuka heard Shinji speak up from behind her.  
  
"Um, Asuka…"  
  
Asuka sweetly turned and smiled at the boy before answering him: "Hmm? What is it Shin-chan?"  
  
Shinji held out a bento box in front of Asuka: "You forgot your lunch this morning, so I put it in my bag with mine."  
  
After a few moments of slight embarrassment over her forgetfulness this morning, Asuka smiled at Shinji and took the box from him: "Thank you Shinji." She then kissed him lightly on the cheek before speaking to him further: "I need to talk to Hikari for a little bit. You go and find a spot to eat with your f…f…friends." Asuka had great difficulty with the last word of her sentence since she was not used to referring to the other two stooges in such a friendly way. "We'll catch up in a few minutes."  
  
Shinji just gave a slight nod and walked off with Kensuke and Touji.  
  
Asuka turns her attention to the class rep: "Okay, Hikari, now this is what I wanted to talk to you about: I need Shinji out of the apartment until tonight"  
  
Somewhat taken off-guard by this question, Hikari didn't know how to react: "Why?"  
  
Grinning slightly, Asuka responds: "I want to surprise him with something."  
  
Still confused about this whole situation, Hikari just gives Asuka a blank look that shows her complete lack of comprehension: "Surprise him with what?"  
  
Asuka, seeing that her friend still hasn't caught on to what's going on, states flatly: "I'm going to cook dinner for the three of us tonight."  
  
Hikari nearly faints. The shock of finding out that her best friend had gotten together with Shinji AND now finding out that Asuka could apparently cook was nearly too much for the girl.   
  
After recovering from the initial shock, she shakes her head somewhat to clear it.   
  
"What do I have to do with this?"  
  
"You need to get Touji to get Shinji to do something with him."  
  
"Like what?"  
  
"I don't know, he's your boyfriend..."  
  
As their conversation ends, the girls start walking in the direction they last saw the boys heading. Shortly thereafter, they found them sitting at a picnic table eating their lunches. Asuka and Hikari each sat next to their boyfriends and started eating their lunches as well.  
  
----------------------------------  
  
The group of teens were sitting at the picnic table chatting away their time since they had already finished their meals.  
  
"…And then I tell 'im 'Well, why don't you go ahead and show me how it's done?' and you know what he did?"  
  
The group had been sitting there listen to Touji ramble on about one of his experiences on the basketball team and basically just keeping quiet hoping he would end his story sometime soon.  
  
Asuka leans over to Shinji and whispers: "I wish the guy had kicked him where the sun don't shine so we wouldn't have to be listening to this stupid story."  
  
At this, Shinji starts to snicker slightly. Touji picks up on this, and asks: "Hey, what's so funny?"  
  
"Nothing that concerns you stooge. Anyway, what did the guy do?"  
  
Now back on track, Touji started recounting how when the other boy tried to do a slam dunk on on of the outdoor basketball goals, he didn't jump high enough and went straight into the support pole and managed to knock himself out and get a broken nose for his efforts.  
  
As Touji's story was ending, the bell sounded announcing the end of lunch. As the students who were eating outside began filing back into the school, Hikari pulled Touji aside, and explained situation to Touji, leaving out the part about Asuka cooking  
  
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The last bell of the day had rung and most of the students from class 3-A were leaving the classroom to go to club activities, home, the mall, and so on…  
  
Asuka was standing by Shinji's desk waiting for him to pack up his laptop and books when Touji walked up.  
  
"Hey Shinji, let's go to the arcade for a while."  
  
Shinji has a rather torn look on his face as he tries to decide on what to do for the rest of the afternoon: "Hmmm...I don't know, I mean..."  
  
Grinning slightly, Asuka nods in his direction as she begins to speak: "Go ahead baka, It's not like you have anything better to do."  
  
Hearing the slight disinterest in Asuka's voice didn't help make him feel any better about going with his friends, but he went with the one strategy that would generally get the best results: just do what she tells you.  
  
"Ok, but just for a while."  
  
As Shinji walked away with Touji and Kensuke, Asuka could see a slightly downcast look on his face.  
  
"What is it?"  
  
Asuka turned to face her best friend "Hm? Oh, it's just that it looks like Shinji was hoping to spend some time with me today."  
  
"Afraid you've hurt his feelings…AGAIN?"  
  
"Well, sorta…"  
  
"Look, don't worry about it. I figured that he might feel that way and told Touji to make sure Shinji has a good time."  
  
Asuka breathed a small sigh of relief and the two girls walked out of the classroom and school heading for their respective homes.  
  
-----------------------------------------------------  
  
The two had been walking in near silence for about ten minutes before Hikari decided to start up a conversation: "So, you want any help cooking?"  
  
"No. This is to prove that I can cook for myself."  
  
Remembering Asuka's frequent monologues about not needing anyone and not caring what others think of her, Hikari noticed that there was something wrong with what her friend had just said. "And others."  
  
"What?"  
  
"For yourself and others."  
  
"What do you mean by that?"  
  
"Well, you did say you wanted to prove that you could cook, but why would you care if other people knew you could cook?"  
  
Embarrassed slightly at that comment, Asuka blushed slightly.  
  
Seeing her friend blush at her last comment was all the confirmation she needed about her suspicions: "I knew it! You want to prove to SHINJI you can cook not Misato!"  
  
"Yeah...I MEAN NO!...um..."  
  
Hikari giggled at her friend's reaction to her discovery.  
  
"It's okay... Anyway, this is my street, so I'll se you later. Hope the dinner goes well."  
  
"Yeah, thanks"  
  
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By the time Asuka arrives home, it's about two in the afternoon. She kicks off her shoes as she enters the apartment and proceeds into the living room.  
  
Asuka starts pacing around the room as she tries to decide on what to cook. Drawing up a complete blank, she turns and enters the kitchen and walks up to the refrigerator and opens the door. Aside from the loads of beer stockpiled on the numerous racks inside the appliance, and the instant food, Asuka finds very little other than some lettuce, sandwich meat, and fish.  
  
Seeing the more useful contents of the fridge, (or lack thereof) Asuka decided to go to the store to figure out what to cook for dinner.   
  
--- Later ---  
  
Asuka entered the apartment carrying two brown paper bags, one under each arm. A few of the bags' contents could be seen poking out their tops.  
  
As Asuka walked into the living room after taking off her shoes, she notices a message on the answering machine. Ignoring the message for the time being, Asuka walked into the kitchen and began to set out the ingredients for the dishes she had chosen to prepare for her roommates. Figuring that it would be a good idea to get started on some of the simpler items on her list, Asuka became absorbed in her work and completely forgot about the answering machine.   
  
At about 5 in the evening, Asuka decided to take a break from her work in the kitchen since the items that were on the stove wouldn't need her attention for a little while. As she walked back into the living room, she again noticed the little red light on the answering machine blinking.   
  
She walked over to the machine and pressed the play button. The machine whirred as the tape inside was rewound until the beginning of the tape had been reached. Afterwards, the message recorded on the tape was replayed.   
  
Misato's voice, although tinny from the playback, was heard coming from the speaker in the machine: "Shinji, Asuka… I'm sorry 'bout this… but I have to work late again tonight… lots of paperwork to do. Shinji, it's your turn to cook anyway, but you won't have to make anything for me, I'll just get something to eat here at NERV. Ja!"  
  
'She's working late tonight?!?!?! Why that…that…BITCH!!! She just wants to avoid eating my food! She'd rather stay at NERV all night and eat the crap their cafeteria serves than come home and…'  
  
Suddenly the realization dawns on her that if Misato isn't home, then Shinji and herself have the apartment all to themselves. As this realization sinks in, an evil-looking grin spread over her face as several new ideas occurred to her for inclusion into her original plan.  
  
Now with a new objective in mind, Asuka walked back into the kitchen and finished the preparation of some of the dishes she was going to serve that evening.  
  
---Katsuragi Residence 7:30---  
  
As Shinji opened the door to the apartment, he could hear the sound of soft music emanating from deeper within his home. After kicking off his shoes, he walked toward the source of the music and found that someone had placed a CD in the player of the stereo. As the deep, calming notes of a cello played in the apartment, Shinji began to look for his roommate. Before he was able to walk towards her room, the smell of food wafted to his nose and instead of checking her room, Shinji went to look for Asuka in the kitchen.  
  
Shinji walked into the kitchen and saw the table set for two with a pair of white candles burning in the center of it and various pots and dishes left on the stove to keep them warm. However, Asuka was nowhere to be seen. Figuring that since her shoes were in the entrance, that she was actually home, but had just left the kitchen for a little while.  
  
Curious, Shinji Walked over to the stove and moved to lift one of the lids when:  
  
"Don't you dare peek."  
  
Turning, he saw Asuka standing in the entrance smiling and wearing a red dress cut at the knee, with short sleeves trimmed with red lace. The dress had a v-cut neck and wrapping over the left shoulder was an embroidered green vine with a blue flower.  
  
"So, what do you think?"   
  
She spun around once to give him a better view of the whole dress. As she turned, he was awarded a view that revealed the fact that the back of the dress was left open down to the small of her back.   
  
By the time Asuka finished turning, Shinji was fighting back a nosebleed, but a small trickle got by anyway.  
  
With his mouth hanging wide open, he simply stared at her as she walked over to him. As she neared, he could feel his knees go weak just before he collapsed into a sitting position on the floor.  
  
As she passed the table, she grabbed a napkin. Gently, she used the piece of paper to wipe away the blood coming from his nose before kissing him tenderly on the lips. After a short time, she moved away from him grinning, and whispered in a tender voice: "Baka hentai..."  
  
To be continued…  
  
"Nothing spoils romance so much as a sense of humor in the woman."  
- Oscar Fingall O'Flahertie Wills Wilde  
  
Author's Notes  
1. verdrehte blödmann: German for 'perverted idiot'  
  
I decided to cut this one off here so that my faithful readers don't get too incredibly pissed at me for not updating in…what is it… almost 6 months? Anyway, I figured that the dinner would do for a good start for the next chapter. Anyway, until then, please R&R and as always, constructive comments and criticism only.  
  
Ja, ne!!! 


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